Healing Heels delivers blue stilettos to cancer patients

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Two women are making Chicago proud by helping lift the spirits of other women fighting cancer. They went to Illinois Masonic on Monday to visit patients and to make a very special delivery.

The pair of best friends are on a mission to bring smiles to women fighting cancer and to help make them feel pretty again. The blue stilettos from Healing Heels are more than just a pair of shoes - they're a symbol reminding these women they're not alone in their fight against cancer.

"It's amazing. It's both of our favorite parts just being able to see these women's faces light up," said Lauren Truelock, who is five years' cancer-free and a co-founder of Healing Heels.

Healing Heels was an idea born while Lauren battled breast cancer. Her best friend Sidne Hirsch wanted to give her something she could wear during treatments, but that had nothing to do with cancer.

"We always both loved shoes. I knew shoes were the right move. I left the wig shop and shoe store and looked for the craziest shoes that I could find," Hirsch said.

What began as a Kickstarter campaign is now a successful business. For every pair sold, Healing Heels donates a pair to women undergoing cancer treatment.

"The design is great. Everyone tells you you're gonna kick it. It goes perfect with it because it goes with how people want to feel," cancer patient Bianca Martinez said.

"When you're going through cancer treatment it's hard to have a positive body image. There are a lot of things that make you feel ugly. I think to have something like this, they're powerful shoes, but they're awesome. They give you a little boost in attitude. I think that's huge for your mental health just to make you feel pretty. That's huge," cancer patient Erin Quayle said.

"To see these women put these shoes on and strut up and down the hall, feel like themselves again. If they feel like themselves again, yes, that's why we're doing this," Truelock said.

Healing Heels has given nearly 200 pairs of those blue stilettos to women fighting all forms of cancer.

Lauren says they kept the color blue because it is the furthest color away from the color always associated with breast cancer, pink.

For more information about Healing Heels, click here.